April 2016
The Increasingly Fragile Value of Bonds
What's the real meaning of the word conservative? When it comes to investing, conservative used to mean bonds. But in our new economy bonds are riskier than you're being told.
Gold Jumps After Fed Blinks, Again, on Rate Hike
Once again the Fed's interest rate saga ended with a whimper. But is it worth asking what they see on the horizon that's staying their hand?
Venezuela: How Paper Destroyed Paradise
How could a country blessed with the largest reserves of the world's most in-demand commodity see its economy in ruins? The answer may resonate with your personal portfolio.
Is Apple’s Recent Sales Slump a Warning?
A news story about a profitable company's one-quarter slump seems harmless. It's what they're not telling you that makes it personal.
Bid Goodbye to the American Pension Plan
Time was that decades of loyal work meant a corporation expected to help you out in your later years. How did we get to the point where the senior American worker is viewed as a worn-out, replaceable cog—adrift and on your own?
Homes Sales Drop in the West is a Bad Sign
So what if folks in California are priced out, everything's fine where you are, right? Unless our western neighbors are the fading canary in the coal mine of home sales.
Gold’s Value Upheld in Federal Court Decision
Before credit and numbers on a computer screen were considered "real" money, gold was the standard for business transactions. But the fall and rise of the gold clause has created some up-to-the-minute legal drama.
Demand for Gold Coins Toppling Records
Is it the fact that gold retains buying power when cash doesn't? Or that it's a safe haven in stormy markets? Or is it that gold is the one asset that protects your privacy?